Haddon Township Historical Photographs The Camden and Philadelphia Race Course (Camden Race Course) Bettlewood / Oaklyn Area 1835 - 1847

The Camden and Philadelphia Race Course

Engraving of the 1845 Grandstand Collapse at the Camden and Philadelphia Race Course duing the "North-South" Rematch of Fashion and Petoyna. Three people were killed and dozens badly injured.

Haddon Township was once the site of one of the premiere horse racing venues on the east cost for a brief period in the first half of the 19th century. This location was selected as a racing venue to showcase the premier horse between the then major venues Long Island and Baltimore. These courses drew on the finest thoroughbreds being raised and trained primarily in Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and surrounding areas.

Colonel William Ransom Johnson "The Napoleon of the Turf" Boston Raced Fashion in Johnson's famous 1842 North-South match-up

The story of the Camden and Philadelphia Race Course begins in 1835, when a number of prominent figures in the horse racing sport from the state of Virginia, purchase a farm from Samuel C. Champion for the purpose of constructing a race course and other buildings. The Virginia group was led by a prominent figure in racing, Colonel William Ransom Johnson who played a bigger role in the development of the Thoroughbred in America than any other individual. He was dubbed, "The Napoleon of the Turf" after his horses won sixty-one of sixty-three races in 1807-1808. He was involved in many North-South contests including the spectacular 1842 match between Boston and Fashion and the 1845 matches between Petonya and Fashion. In the venture he was joined by Andrew Beime, John D. Kirby, Otway P. Hare and William N. Friend. Within a year of the land purchase a one-mile race track was completed, along with a grand stand, stables and necessary buildings. A large hotel was also built as part of the complex. The race courses location was convenient, about three miles from the ferry to Philadelphia. Major figures in the sports including Johnson known as and members of thee Van Marter family were frequently present and the race course was able to draw to top horses of the day. Fashion, Peyton, Lady Clifton, Atlanta, Boston, Mingo, Blue Dick, Decatur, Bonnet o'Blue were among the premier names that raced there. In days before nigh-stakes derbies, special events like "four mile day" drew huge crowds. George R. Prowell writes in a later account of such events which "filled the grandstands and covered the field with carriages and vehicles of every kind. Ladies were never scarce and entered into the sport and betting with as much zeal and spirit as their escorts." Prowell also discussed the con-men, "cup and ball man" or 'the boy with the little joker." Cons now more referred to as the shell came or three card Monte, with shills set in the crowd to make winning possible but it really being a scam that fleeced, "the verdant ones." And every type of gambling device was invoked, "attended by drunkenness and debauchery to the last degree."The race courses was in the account of the high stakes horsemen argued to be an instrument for the improvement of the breed of horses. However the race course was a drawing area was a seedy underworld of crime, con-men, public drunkenness and the side effects that went along with it. The citizens of that section of what was still being called Newton Township revolted. There even was a mounted effort via petition to outlaw horse-racing in the state as the movement grew. Although that failed, the citizens of the area succeeded in pushing out the Philadelphia and Camden Race Course. Poor upkeep of the building and facilities and a gradual loss in popularity as a place of resort, was making the venture become unprofitable for the owners. The rowdy element that had predominated had lowered the standards and respectability of the locale as a legitimate resort of respectability that it had when it was first opened. This was compounded when the original owners withdrew operation and rented the facilities to people of an even less careful reputation which resulted in a further drop in popularity.

Currier & Ives Engraving of the Peytona and Fashion Match at Long Island that drew a crowd of 70,000 This was just weeks before the rematch at the Philadelphia and Camden Race Course which also drew an overflowing crowd.

Fashion "Queen of the Turf"

One major note of this period, 1845, was the meeting of two celebrated horses Petoyna and Fashion. They had raced in Long Island and Fashion, "the queen of the turf" was upset. The rematch took place within a month, at the Camden and Philadelphia Race Course and Fashion won back her laurels. As expected it was a capacity crowd. The deteriorating structure could not handle it and during the first heat of the race the grand stand collapsed killing three and, injuring dozens more. This was perhaps the worst structural disaster to take place in Haddon Township history considering the number of victims involved. This would spell the end for racing at the Camden and Philadelphia Race Course. In January 1847, William R. Johnson sold the property to Samuel Bettle. Within a year, Bettle removed every building connected to the old Race Courses and returned the land to agricultural use. Even the imposing hotel which fronted onto the White Horse Pike met its demise. Edward Bettle built his residence near by. The track which had laid to the east of the Hotel extended down to where William Bettle constructed his residence. The area soon became known as Bettlewood. An area of Haddon Township extending to Oaklyn. Today there is no remaining evidence or reminder of the old race course. At the time of its demise, the local sentiment was to obliterate the history of the venture. It remains only a curious footnote in horse racing books and Haddon Township and Oaklyn history.

William Gibbons Trainer and Owner of Fashion

Sources: [Images: "William Ransom Johnson" and "Boston." Engravings published by Spirit of the Times: A Chronicle of the Turf, Field Sports, Literature and the Stage. Engravings done c. 1840-50; "Peytona and Fashion" by Currier & Ives, New York, 1845., "William Gibbons" from a miniature painting, artist unknown.; Books: Prowell, George W., A History of Camden County; Raible, Dennis G. Down A Country Lane, Camden, NJ: Camden County Historical Society, 1998]